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| Ben Bartch made the most of his Senior Bowl invite earlier in 2020 and turned heads, even though he got hurt and was unable to play in the game. Photo by Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports |
St. John's offensive lineman Ben Bartch became the first Division III player drafted by the NFL since 2015 when he went to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round on Saturday.
He was the only Division III player drafted. However, several D-III players sign as free agents each season, and others are invited to teams' rookie camps, and we will track those.
Bartch, a first team D3football.com All-America pick, is the first player picked since Ali Marpet was drafted by the Tampa Bay Bucs out of Hobart in the second round in 2015, but also just the second D-III player in the past nine drafts.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity and excited to start working for the Jacksonville Jaguars," Bartch said in a St. John's news release. "My faith, family, coaches and dedication to the game helped me reach this goal, and they will continue to throughout my life. The hard work and commitment from my Johnnie teammates also made this opportunity possible. I can't wait to represent SJU at the highest level."
After switching from tight end prior to the 2018 season, where he had been a third-stringer, Bartch became a mainstay, then a standout in the Johnnies lineup at left tackle as the team advanced to the national quarterfinals, then the semifinals in 2019. He is listed at 6-6, 309.
Division III draftees since 2007:
| Year | Player, pos., school | Team | Round-overall |
| 2020 | Ben Bartch, OL, St. John's | Jaguars | 4-116 |
| 2015 | Ali Marpet, OL, Hobart | Buccaneers | 2-61 |
| 2012 | Chris Greenwood, CB, Albion | Lions | 5-148 |
| 2011 | Cecil Shorts, WR, Mount Union | Jaguars | 4-114 |
| 2008 | Andy Studebaker, DE/LB, Wheaton (Ill.) | Eagles | 6-203 |
| 2008 | Pierre Garcon, WR, Mount Union | Colts | 6-205 |
| 2007 | Michael Allan, TE, Whitworth | Chiefs | 7-231 |
| 2007 | Derek Stanley, WR/RET, UW-Whitewater | Rams | 7-249 |